Breakfast with Ban Ki Moon in Ulaanbatar

meurig — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:16:52 -0400

East of Omsk roads deteriorated considerably M53 and roadside hostelries left a bit to be desired unless you are used to motels without washing facilities. Police and border checkpoints continue to be a PITA. Last three days to Mongolian border slept in car and made border Sunday 26/07. Major problems with import docs because organisers had not got customs paperwork to border point. Net result car impounded on Mongolian side and had to pay 100US to get to UB. After 3 days of not washing decided to treat ourselves and booked into Kempinski Khan Palace for a couple of days and found ourselves alongside United Nations Sec General Ban Ki Moon. Visited Lotus Orphanage and founder Didi from Oz to explain why all the goodies we had brought were still at the border. Lotus have a guest house in UB - entrance not very impressive but in ternally pristine and very comfortable - and cheap 8 dollars US per night. Tel +976 (11)32 59 67 / 95 13 73 65. Nr Subataar Square.

Thai Honda

Stopped at Russian Kazakhstan Border

meurig — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:33:32 -0400

Wednesday 22^nd

We spent three driving spent 6 hours at Kazakhstan / Russian checkpoint loading and unloading the car, with uniformed men counting our money and trying to pronounce Meurig. Stopped at Kazakhstan and David was given a commemorative bullet by a police man, and was allowed to hold his Kalashnikov. Unlike previous experiences with policeman this one gave us a bottle of Vodka

Thursday 23^rd

Early morning start from East of Omsk and hopefully should arrive at Novosibirsk for lunch and another Kemerovo for evening meal. Temperature has fallen dramatically and weather inclement. Everything fine.

Thai Honda

Two hundred miles west ...

continentalgtw12 — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:35:16 -0400

Two hundred miles west of Omsk camping at the side of M 51 highway near Kazahstan border First day we have not been stopped by the police on finds or gifts today . 43 deg C yesterday ...10 deg today

Thai Honda

Stuck at Russian border.

meurig — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 06:26:56 -0400

After zooming thru France Belgium Germany Poland (three stops by police - fined 80 cigs, 20 euros and a let off) arrived Ukraine (Antratsyt) 15th July. Russian Visa starts 19th so we fined again for trying to enter Russia early 18 euros. Relaxing in The Welness Motel till Sunday 19th enjoying the beer. There is not one resturaunt in this place.

Thai Honda

More charity donations needed-we want to exceed our target

continentalgtw12 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:46:14 -0400

Thai Honda